Sweetest Words
by Dmarx
Summary: It was by no means the first time his words had affected her so deeply. Not at all. They had been affecting her since long before he ever so much as spoke to her. But this was so much more somehow. A collection of Spiral Bound outtakes.
1. Spiral Bound Chapter 68 point 5

_Summary: It was not as though their relationship was a secret, but if anyone had any doubts as to his feelings about her, this should all but eradicate them. Outtake from chapter 68 of Spiral Bound._

_Author's Note: For All-I-Need, and anyone else who wanted to see this scene. I didn't have a place for it in Spiral Bound, so I'm posting it here as a separate one-shot. Hope this is what you had in mind :)_

_Thanks to teelduo for the cover art!_

_Disclaimer: Not so much. But if you want to give me part ownership for Christmas, you'd be my favorite person ever!_

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**Sweetest Words**

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**Spiral Bound Chapter 68.5**

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**September 2014**

Her palms were sweaty. Her heart was racing. And she was nervous. Really nervous. It was not the first time she had stepped out into such a public occasion with him, by far not the first time she had faced the media. But no matter how often this happened, she was never going to become accustomed to it.

Because the potential of having every word overheard, every action caught on camera, was always a source of stress in situations like this. Add in the fact that there was a diamond ring on her finger that very few people knew about, and she could only hope that none of the scenarios that had made appearances in her dreams last night would actually play out.

She felt Castle squeeze her hand as the driver opened his door, tensed as his fingers slid out of hers and he exited the car. He knew that she was not keen on events like this, knew that she relied on him to ground her, keep her steady. She rarely ended up needing it, her tight grip on his hand usually fading once they cleared the red carpet. But he could tell that she was feeling uncomfortable and out of her element tonight, and it was on him to help calm her down, remind her that maybe publicity was not her favorite thing but she always managed to charm the media anyways.

It had been a while since they had made such a public appearance and he could feel the tension, the nerves, the way her muscles were taut with anticipation. She had bounced her leg up and down almost the entire ride here and her usually composed exterior was slipping slightly, though the average person would not notice.

But he knew her tells, knew that right now, she needed that connection.

"Ready?" Castle asked as he ducked down and extended his hand to her, guiding her out of the limo. She twined their fingers tightly together, stepped tentatively out of the car.

As she set foot on the red carpet, Kate was immediately blinded by the flashbulbs, overwhelmed by the onslaught of people and voices calling out to them. There were fans calling for autographs, journalists and reporters looking for exclusive information on the soon-to-be-released novel. Man, she had forgotten how crazy people could be at events like this.

"Relax," Castle murmured into her ear, linking their arms together and guiding her inside, ignoring the pleas of everyone lining the red carpet. He could feel the tension beginning to fade at his touch, kept a firm grip on her as they escaped the worst of the crowd and stepped through the front doors of the venue. "You've got this."

They entered the party arm in arm, were greeted almost instantly by a very chatty Paula. She leaned in to press a kiss to Castle's cheek, nodded to Kate in the cool and detached way to which she had become accustomed. She did not dislike the woman, per se, but they rarely saw eye to eye and there had been some less than pleasant conversations between them.

"About time you got here, there are so many people waiting to see you," she began, voice all business as usual, giving no bearing to Kate and the fact that she really was not in the mood to deal with Paula's antics. Truthfully, all Kate wanted to do was hide out in a corner with Castle and a glass of wine, out of the limelight.

Without warning, Castle's arm was pulled from Kate's as his publicist guided him away from her, already rattling off a list of attendees and happenings, leaving Kate standing awkwardly just inside the door, completely out of place amid this crowd. So she wandered aimlessly around the edges of the room, waving hello to a couple of familiar faces along the way and striking up brief conversations, but mostly attempting to shrink into the background.

Thankfully, Lanie appeared by her side after about ten minutes, wrapping Kate's fingers around a glass of wine and dragging her off to the side.

"Oh, thank God you're here," Kate breathed, taking a sip of her wine and glancing around to double check their privacy. Castle was still nowhere to be seen but she did catch sight of Ryan and Jenny across the way, raised an arm in their direction.

"Some entrance you made with Writer Boy," Lanie smirked, completely ignoring her words.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Yeah well, I didn't exactly have a choice. Paparazzi can be very pushy and over the top."

"Maybe so but that doesn't mean you had to show up looking like that." Lanie gestured to her. "You can't go out in public looking that hot and not expect people to go crazy, girlfriend."

"Lanie, I'm not..."

She was cut off as Lanie held up her hand. "Nuh uh, don't even say it. You look gorgeous, and I have to say, there's been this glow about you ever since he put that ring on your finger."

Kate smiled, eyes dropping to the gorgeous jewelry glittering on her left hand. "Yeah," she murmured, completely smitten.

"Speaking of," Lanie said a moment later and Kate turned in time to see Castle making his way towards her, a smile mixed with a grimace on his face.

"Hey," he panted as he stepped up to her and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulled her to him possessively.

"Hey," she murmured, leaning into his warmth as he brushed a kiss to her cheek. "How are things going?"

He shrugged. "Oh, you know how Paula can be. All these people she wants me to say hello to, reporters wanting an interview. The usual."

Lanie stepped back, melded into the crowd for a moment, far enough away to not intrude on their conversation but close enough to overhear everything, and they were so caught up in each other that neither noticed Lanie's disappearance.

"Has anyone noticed yet?" Kate asked, discretely holding up her left hand.

Castle caught her fingers, raised them to his lips for a kiss. "Not so far. But you know they will. Paula's releasing our statement tomorrow."

"Okay," she murmured.

From across the room, someone called out Castle's name, a voice sounding suspiciously like Paula's once again. He sighed, loosened his grip on Kate's hand. "I have to go."

She hummed in disappointed agreement. The one part she hated most about these events was that Castle was expected to be everywhere at once, and she was not necessarily keen on putting on a cheerful smile and meeting and greeting hundreds of people, meaning she was often left behind while he worked the crowd. Thank goodness for Lanie, and she was sure Martha and Alexis were here somewhere as well and would gladly come to her rescue.

"Have I mentioned that you look absolutely beautiful?" he asked under his breath, turning her so they were face to face as his arms slipped securely around her. His fingers trailed across the fabric of her black dress, long enough to be appropriate, but the low cut neckline and tight fitted bodice accentuated her figure perfectly, bringing all kinds of inappropriate thoughts swirling into his mind. Pair that with black heels, the ringlet curls in her hair, and the smoky makeup outlining her eyes, and Castle was finding it very difficult not to drag her into the bathroom and show her exactly how sexy she was.

"Once or twice," Kate replied softly, smiling up at him, left hand rising to rest on his chest.

His eyes twinkled as he returned her gaze, grinned broadly. "Just making sure you know."

Kate rolled her eyes lovingly, leaned into him as he kissed her briefly. His fingertips trailed over her hipbones as he dropped his arms and stepped away into the crowd, mouthed an 'I love you' in her direction as he walked away.

She gazed after him longingly, only vaguely aware of the people milling about around her. Her eyes were still fixed on him as he erected his public persona once again, the one she was not overly fond of but accepted as a part of him for occasions such as this. And it secretly melted her heart, the way that his projected image dropped in an instant when he was with her. The way he showed her the parts of him that so few people truly knew.

The way he loved her so unabashedly even in front of the cameras, the soft touches and heated glances that were not over the top displays of affection but held heaps of meaning for the two of them.

"He didn't, like, write his wedding vows as the dedication, did he?" Lanie asked offhandedly, interrupting her thoughts, and Kate whirled around in surprise, mild embarrassment coloring her cheeks as she realized that she had all but forgotten about her friend's presence.

"I uh..." Kate stammered, shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. He wouldn't tell me what he wrote."

"Well what are you waiting for?" Lanie asked, pulling the wine glass from Kate's hand and giving her a gentle shove in the direction of the stand of books in the center of the room. "Go read it."

"Did you already look?" Kate asked suspiciously, turning back to Lanie.

"Just read it," the ME replied mysteriously, refusing to divulge.

Kate sighed, made her way through the throngs of people towards the books. It took a good ten minutes to make it to the center of the room, as she was stopped by about every second or third person, some reporters, some fans asking for her autograph, and some men who seemed oblivious to the ring on her left hand as they tried to strike up a flirtatious conversation with her.

As she approached the stand of books, though, the noise in the room died down slightly and she could feel multiple pairs of eyes trained on her, anxiously awaiting her reaction.

She stepped up to the stand, reached out for a copy of the novel. The picture on the front cover bore striking similarities to most of the books in the series, a solid color mixed with black, Nikki appearing only as a silhouette. Naked, of course. But this one was tastefully done and despite the fact that Kate hated the publicity she received as a result of her alter ego's...lack of clothing...she actually admired the artistry of the image.

As she lifted _Radiant Heat_, slid her index finger beneath the cover to lift it, she felt Castle step up behind her. A hand came to rest lightly on her waist, his breath playing over her ear, and she was reminded of the first time she attended a launch party, how she had been so overcome by his dedication to her in _Heat Wave_ that she did not know what to say. How their conversation turned into a petty argument because neither was willing to acknowledge what was, even all those years ago, already building between them.

She turned to the first page, eyes immediately finding the words in the center. It was one line, nine words, but the emotion wrapped up in them almost brought tears to her eyes. It was not as though their relationship was a secret, but if anyone had any doubts as to his feelings about her, this should all but eradicate them.

"Castle," she breathed, eyes glued to the page.

His arm slipped further around her waist, holding her body to his. With shaking fingers, Kate closed the book, set it back on the display shelf. She turned in his arms then, lifted moist eyes to his.

"You like?" he asked nervously, though why he felt that way was beyond belief. It was evident to everyone in the room that Kate was completely enamored by his words, by him.

She leaned her forehead against his as her arms came to wrap around his neck, guide his lips to hers. She kissed him softly, a feather-light brushing of lips, keeping it chaste in deference to their location.

"It's perfect," she whispered, but in the near silence of the room, her words traveled rather easily.

The crowd erupted then, flashbulbs going off from various angles, reporters shouting questions in their direction, and Kate was pretty sure she heard more than one person say the word 'ring.' But she and Castle ignored all of it, refusing to let anyone tarnish this moment as she allowed his beautiful words to sink in, warm her heart.

"I love you," he whispered, kissed her again, slightly less chaste this time.

"I love you too," she murmured against his lips, so wrapped up in him, in the beauty of this moment, that she almost forgot about their location. Almost.

Pictures of this exchange were probably going to be splashed all over the internet fan sites tomorrow but for the time being, Kate did not care. Because he may have dedicated three other books to her, but this one meant the most by far.

"Thank you," she breathed as they separated, so many emotions flowing between them. Castle reached up to tuck an errant curl behind her ear, trailed his hand down her arm to twine their fingers together, the heat palpable as it spread from his veins to hers.

Kate nearly shivered at his touch, her body thrumming with love and lust and arousal that she was trying very hard to suppress. God, he should not be allowed to write things like this about her, not if he was going to make her read them in a public place.

"How soon until we can get out of here?" she asked after a minute, keeping her voice soft.

Castle raised an eyebrow, lowered his voice. "Why Detective Beckett, did you have something specific in mind?"

She blinked up at him through dark lashes, eyes dripping with heady arousal. "What can I say, Castle?" she husked, far too sexy for a public place. "I guess I'm not the only one who serves as..." she leaned in, breathed the last word into his ear, "inspiration."

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_To my partner, my love, my inspiration, my everything._

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**THE END**


	2. Spiral Bound Chapter 84 point 5

_Summary: She fell in love with his words long before she fell in love with him. Outtake from chapter 84 of Spiral Bound._

_Author's Note: This fic was originally intended to be a one-shot, but in light of this chapter, I've decided to turn it into a collection of outtakes from Spiral Bound. I don't know if there will be more or when they will be, but if inspiration strikes, this is where any additional outtakes will be posted. _

_Thanks to Andy for the beta!_

_Disclaimer: I asked for ownership for Christmas…yeah, didn't happen._

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**Spiral Bound Chapter 84.5**

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**November 17****th****, 2014**

"Kate."

"Hmmm?"

"Kate," he whispered again. She could sense his body hovering over hers, could feel the soft wash of his breaths over the skin of her neck. One of his arms was draped over her torso, fingers tracing gentle patterns on the bare skin of her stomach, while the other hand rose to weave into her hair, caress her scalp.

"Go back to sleep," she mumbled sleepily, peeking open one eye to squint at the clock on the nightstand. It was her day off _and_ her birthday and it was only seven thirty a.m. and she fully intended to sleep in for another couple of hours.

But Castle was insistent and stubborn, and really, she should have known that, should have expected that he would not relent so easily.

"But it's your birthday," he sing-songed, lips close to her ear and no, that was _not_ a shiver that just raced down her spine and it was most certainly _not_ caused by him.

"And I wanna sleep in," she protested half-heartedly.

"Can I at least give you my present first?"

Kate groaned, rolled over and opened her eyes halfway. "You know I'm not going to fall back asleep if I get up and open a present."

"But how else am I supposed to bring you breakfast in bed?"

"Maybe you should have thought of that _before_ you woke me up."

"Please, Kate," he coaxed sweetly, tucking an errant tangle of curls behind her ear and leaning down to press his lips to her forehead. "For me?"

She huffed out a sigh but surrendered because, really, she never stood a chance, did she?

"This better be worth it."

Above her, Castle smiled lovingly, dropped his head to capture her lips briefly before rolling out of bed. He had taken the time to slip on a pair of boxers and Kate took a moment now to snag the button-down shirt he had discarded the previous night and slip it on, fastening a few buttons in the front. It hung loosely off of her frame but would suffice to ward off the cool morning air.

As she settled back against the pillows, pulled the covers up over her legs, Castle reappeared. He held medium sized box in one hand and in the other, a small spiral bound notebook.

"Here." He climbed onto the bed, sat cross-legged in front of her, and she could see the eagerness and excitement in his features but as she looked more closely, she also caught hints of nervousness, hesitance.

She dropped her eyes to his outstretched hand, found the journal already opened to a specific page. But upon closer examination, she realized that it was different. The pages were a slightly different color, the corners of the cover not quite so worn. It was the new one.

And the date at the top of the page was yesterday's.

Kate lifted curious eyes to his, was met with a reassuring smile and nod, and only then did she reach out to grasp the journal, settled it against her lap.

_Dear Kate,_

_Just a few days ago, you stumbled across me reading our journal in an attempt to find inspiration for a birthday present for you. Until, you know, you distracted me. Very thoroughly._

_(I should clarify that I have no complaints.)_

_I realized this morning, though, that by re-reading our journal, I was going about this all the wrong way. Those words were not my inspiration. You were. Are. You have been for the past six years. Without you, there would be no Nikki Heat. There would be no story of Heat and Rook and their journey through thick and thin. There would be no journal to read. And I wouldn't be writing to you right now because our story wouldn't exist because you wouldn't be here to help me write it._

_So I want to say thank you, Kate. For crashing my book party all those years ago. For captivating me from the moment I laid eyes on you and continuing to amaze and surprise me on a daily basis. For keeping me around, for giving me a second (and third and fourth) chance when I screwed up. For inspiring me each and every day, not just in writing but in life as well. For making me want to be a better man._

_I will never fully understand what it was that convinced you to let me into your life and your heart, but I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to be there. To be here, with you, sharing our home and our lives and our love. _

_And so it only seems fitting that your birthday present be one thing; the first pages of our story. Not the ones from the journal, but the ones that have forever immortalized you and me in the hearts of the readers. I know, I know, it's not truly us. But it's inspired by us, by you and your fierceness and strength and beauty. By our relationship, and the way it has evolved from detective and tagalong to partners to friends to lovers to forever. _

_I know that many chapters still lie ahead of us, that there are thousands of blank pages waiting for us as we continue to write our own story. As we continue to inspire the story of Nikki and Rook. _

_I have no idea exactly what lies ahead for us now. A wedding, of course. A honeymoon. Smiles and laughs and amazing sex and nights spent wrapped up in each other in bed. Probably our fair share of squabbles and fights. But no matter what, I know that we will face it together. _

_So today, this gift is a promise to you. A promise that for as far as we've come, I know there are still many more chapters that lie ahead. A promise that I will be by your side for each and every one of them and that along the way, I will do everything in my power to make you smile and laugh and feel the magic that I think you're finally beginning to believe in. _

_And I can only hope that I bring to your life what you have brought to mine._

_I love you so much, Kate._

_Rick_

By the time she finished reading, a giant smile was spread across her face, her eyes were watery, and her heart was pounding with the emotions of his words, the excitement of the object she was almost certain was contained within the box.

"Castle," she murmured, lifting glossy eyes to his. He was gazing at her expectantly, so full of hope, and she extended a hand, cupped the back of his head and urged him towards her for a kiss.

He pulled back much sooner than Kate would have liked but he wasted no time in setting the box on her lap, silently answering the question that was poised on her tongue.

Kate gingerly peeled back the festive wrapping paper, slid a fingernail under the tape securing the lid to the box, and flipped it open. Even through the thin layer of white tissue paper, she could see the words 'Heat Wave' typed in large black font, confirming her hunch. She folded back the paper, reverently lifted the manuscript from its box.

What she could not see through the tissue paper, however, was the smaller handwritten letters scrawled neatly in the bottom corner of the front page, written at an ascending angle in Castle's familiar script.

_Happy birthday to my beautiful, inspiring, and extraordinary muse, partner, and fiancée. _

"Castle," Kate breathed, blown away by his words, the thoughtfulness of his gift, the magnitude of his love for her.

"You like it?" he asked tentatively, so nervous, and she answered with a broad smile.

She gently settled the front page back into place, set the bound stack of pages aside and reached for him with both hands. He came willingly, her hands framing his face as he melted into her kiss, felt the warmth of her touch infuse his veins.

"Thank you," she murmured against his lips, pulling back just enough to speak. "Thank you so much, Castle."

"I'm glad you like it."

Kate just smiled, stole from him another kiss.

After a lingering moment, Castle sat back, slipped off of the bed. Kate made to follow, was stopped by his words.

"Stay here."

She cocked her head.

"I still have to bring you breakfast in bed."

She rolled her eyes but her appreciative smile belied her feigned annoyance.

He hastily pulled a t-shirt over his head, ran a hand through his hair, taming it only slightly. In the meantime, Kate had picked up the manuscript again, was tracing the outline of the title with her finger.

Castle paused before leaving the room, leaned down over the bed to press one last lingering kiss to her lips.

"Happy birthday, Kate."

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_Thoughts?_


	3. Spiral Bound Chapter 87 point 5

_Summary: It was by no means the first time his words had affected her so deeply. Not at all. They had been affecting her since long before he ever so much as spoke to her. But this was so much more somehow. Fits between chapters 87 and 88 of Spiral Bound._

_Author's Note: A couple things..._

_1. This is not so much an outtake from chapter 87 as it is a non-episode related letter that fits in the timeline between chapters 87 and 88._

_2. Just to clarify...the date they are reading the letter is January 7th 2015, but it would have been written on January 9th 2013 (between the letters for Significant Others and Under The Influence). _

_Disclaimer: The Castle writers don't write fic as a method of school work procrastination._

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**Spiral Bound Chapter 87.5**

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**January 7th, 2015**

"Plans for Friday?" Castle murmured, stepping up behind Kate as she deposited her watch in her jewelry box and toed off her heels, losing a few inches in the process.

She faltered as his arms slipped around her from behind, her eyes lingering on the necklace that hung from the corner of the mirror. Her mother's ring dangled from the bottom curve of the chain, reflecting in the mirror as the dim light of the lamp caught the facets of the stone and the dulled but still golden band. She reached out subconsciously, reverently ran her index finger along the length of the chain, lightly brushing over the smooth rounded surface.

Last year was the first time Castle had ever kept her company on this day. The first year of their partnership, she slept at her own apartment and spent most of the day either alone or with her dad as was customary. When she arrived back home there was a small potted arrangement of flowers and a card sitting outside her door but no signs of Castle. The flowers took up residence on her dresser and after changing into her pajamas and curling into bed she called him, thanked him with a soft smile on her face.

When she woke the flowers were one of the first things she saw and at that moment she vowed that from then on she would include Castle in these traditions.

Last year he woke early right alongside her and accompanied her in her early morning endeavors, taking the time to select his own floral arrangement in addition to Kate's traditional bouquet of lilies. He held her hand as they crossed into the cemetery, was right there beside her, one strong arm looped around her waist, grounding her, as they stood in front of the stone, Kate speaking softly in reminiscence.

And somehow with him there she felt stronger, more complete than she had in a long time.

Despite her invitation, Castle opted out of lunch with Jim, feeling as though that tradition was not necessarily something in which he was ready to take part. Helping shoulder Kate's burden was one thing. Being the odd one out with two individuals who shared a love for the same person was a bit different and he felt awkward at the thought of encroaching upon that. But when she explained, Jim seemed to understand, and being able to come home to Castle later that day all but made up for his absence at lunch.

"Come with me?" Kate asked by way of an answer, drawing him from his memory and back into the present.

"Of course. Whatever you want, Kate."

"No, I mean the whole day," she clarified, eyes seeking his in the mirror. "Come to lunch with us."

"Kate, I..." he hedged, uncertain.

She turned in his arms, locked her gaze with his. "It would mean a lot. To both of us."

Her father had said as much just a few days earlier.

Castle nodded slowly, considering.

"And to my mom," she added softly.

And really, how could Castle ever say no to that. "Yeah, okay," he agreed. "Okay."

He sealed his promise with a kiss to her forehead, lingering for a moment before they separated, went about their bedtime preparations. When Kate emerged from the bathroom free of her makeup and dressed down into loose-fitting pajamas, Castle was seated on the bed reading from what appeared to be their journal. Kate switched off the bathroom light, joined him in the center of the large bed, arranging her legs beneath a pile of blankets.

"Reading?"

He lifted his eyes to her, a tentative smile on his lips, and she cocked her head questioningly.

"I umm..." he hesitated, unsure. "I remembered writing to you about...about your mom. And I thought...it's the next letter. I mean, if you don't want to..."

"Castle."

He stopped mid sentence, raised his eyes and was surprised to find a startling clarity in her features, eyes not forlorn but instead curious. She silently extended a hand and he passed her the journal, scooted up next to her and allowed his head to rest on her shoulder as she began to read.

_Dear Kate, _

_I know that today is a difficult day for you. I also know that it's probably not a day that you usually spend in the presence of others. As such, I'm not entirely sure what to say or do, so I'm writing to you instead. _

_I want to start by saying that I love you. No matter what happens today, that is never going to change. Your pain and sadness will never make you weak in my eyes. It makes you human and it makes you that much more extraordinary that you've overcome so much and yet you're still here today fighting for justice. _

_What I'm trying to say is that I'm not going to judge you for being sad or angry or in pain. I won't mind if you don't want to get out of bed or change or shower. I want you to know that. If you don't want me around, I won't hold it against you. If you do and you need to just curl up and cry it out, I'll be here to wrap my arms around you. If you want to talk or reminisce, I'm here to listen. And at the end of the day, no matter what you say or do, I'll still love you. _

_Please know that. _

_To be honest, I'm at a loss right now. You're still asleep in my bed, as you should be at three in the morning, but I don't know what's going to happen come sunrise. Will you stay here? Will you go back to your place? Will you want me to go with you? _

_I'm guessing you normally visit her grave, bring her flowers, maybe meet up with your dad? _

_I want nothing more than to be here to make today easier for you but I don't know how to do that without getting in the way of your traditions. That's certainly something I don't want to interfere with. I suppose I'll just have to play it by ear. _

_In the meantime, I'll join you in bed once again, because I never tire of having you in my arms, watching you sleep, seeing your face when I wake. Having you here with me. I consider myself so lucky. _

_And I hope that wherever your mom is today, she's looking down on us and smiling. I'd like to think that she would approve of us. And that she and I would get along well; if she was anything like you, I'm sure I would have loved her. I can only hope that the feeling would have been mutual._

_Someday, I hope that you feel comfortable telling me more about her. I wish so badly that I could have met her, gotten to know her. I have you and stories from your childhood of course, but I would love to know more. She seems like she was a remarkable woman. _

_Clearly that part of her lives on in you every day._

_Okay, I'm actually heading back to bed now. I feel better having jotted all of this down because I needed to let you know, and though I know you'll never see these letters, I still hope that somehow my words will help you understand where I'm coming from. I hope they'll bring you some sort of comfort and hope on this day._

_And I hope they remind you that I'm here for you in whatever capacity you need. Anything to make this day easier for you, Kate._

_Love,_

_Rick_

"Castle," Kate breathed, at a total loss for words because the ways that he knows her and admires her and loves her never ceased to completely amaze her.

He raised a hand to swipe a tear from her cheek, set the journal aside, freeing his other hand to twine with hers. "I'm sorry," he murmured, hating that his words had once again caused her tears.

But she shook her head before he had a chance to say more, smiled through the sadness. "It's not...it's...God, Castle, I'm just..."

She laughed awkwardly as she bumbled through the words, grasping for something, _anything,_ to convey what his letter meant to her.

One of his hands fell to cup her jaw, slid around to the back of her neck, and Kate leaned into his touch. She blinked a few times to dry her eyes but she was still so completely overwhelmed. It was by no means the first time his words had affected her so deeply. Not at all. Hell, they had been affecting her since long before he ever so much as spoke to her. But this was so much more somehow.

Maybe because January ninth was just a couple of days away and perhaps it was not the best timing for reading this letter but maybe to a certain extent it was. He had always been so wonderful on this anniversary, so caring and willing to do anything she needed to make the day easier. But there was still a part of her deep down that often wondered how many times he could see her break before he finally decided he could not deal with someone who would never be completely whole.

(Truthfully, he made her feel more whole than she had in sixteen years.)

And his words tonight, the gentle reminder of his faithfulness and devotion...it was exactly what she needed.

After a long moment, Kate gave up on trying to speak, leaned in to meld their lips together. Castle responded tenderly and the kiss was gentle and sweet and everything that existed between them that could never be explained by words alone.

She pulled away first but only far enough to rest her temple against his and when she finally spoke, her words were a breath against his cheek, so quiet, meant for his ears alone.

"Thank you, Castle."

He hummed in encouragement, hand sliding down and across her shoulders as he embraced her tightly, awaiting the continuation of her thoughts.

"For always knowing exactly what to say."

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_Thoughts?_


End file.
